A study published today by the Brazilian Government shows that the number of records of domestic and family violence associated with gambling addiction has increased 75% in Brazil in one year.
© Lusa
12/11/2026
by
Lusa
Um a study published today by the Brazilian government shows that the number of records of domestic and family violence associated with gambling addiction has increased 75% in Brazil in one year.
In all, there were 573 occurrences between January and September 2026, against 327 in the same period of 2025, the National Secretariat of Public Security (Senasp), of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP), responsible for tabulating the data.
The agency analyzed approximately 99.6 million occurrence reports (denunciation reports and news reports) registered throughout Brazil.
The survey identified 1,650 occurrences of domestic or family violence with mention of gambling and gambling dependence between January 2020 and October this year.
Of this total, 1,101 were explicitly classified as violence against women, according to the Brazilian government.
Body injury appears in 805 occurrences, while 803 mention intimidation. In 161 cases, there are reports of death threats and, in 218, references to firearms or white weapons.
Children and adolescents also appear in the context of family violence of 458 occurrences, according to Senasp.
The reports analyzed indicate situations in which financial losses with bets are accompanied by threats, aggression and appropriation of the victims' money, the agency reported.
In many cases, partners or former partners require bank transfers through the Pix system, use unauthorised bank cards or sell family goods to continue gambling, he added.
The survey also identified a significant presence of online casinos in police records, mentioned in 248 occurrences, four times more than sports betting, reported in 62 cases.
In other 812 records, reports mention bets or online games, but do not identify a specific platform, according to Senasp.
According to the Brazilian Government, the growth of occurrences “gained strength” from 2024, when the records went from 132 in 2023 to 215, having reached 503 in 2025.
By October 8, 2026, 588 occurrences had already been recorded, according to the survey.
The registration rate with reference to gambling dependence rose from 3.9 per million occurrence reports in 2020 to 41.1 in 2026, an increase of more than ten times, the Brazilian government indicated.
Gambling platforms, popularly called “bet” in Brazil, and online casinos have been banned in the country since September 25.